Her last summer
by i.am.ruru-chan
Summary: She was to die soon. she had a list and was determined to check everything off befor summer's end, she had nothing to lose after all... he was beginning to find ife boring and though of endidng it soon ... that is, until she came into his life... AU


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summery: She was to die soon but she had a list, and was determined to check everything off before she missed her chance. She would make the most of her life, with no regrets. She had nothing to lose after all…

he was beginning to find life boring and thought of ending it soon, fallowing in his brothers footsteps.... that is, until she came into his life.

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Wah! Inspiration has hit me! The inspiration came after reading a book by Candice Hern. Wow, she is an amazing writer, I must say. Many ideas were borrowed from her book to make this story and I hope all of you enjoy it!

Lulu, signing off!

Disclaimer: characters borrowed from Kishi… and many (many!) ideas from Miss Hern

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.: Chapter 1: there was a list :.

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She was going to die soon, she was certain of it. The doctor had said she only had but a few moths to live. She had inherited the dreadful deices that had snatched her mother away from her at a very young age. She had consulted the doctor secretly after noticing similar symptoms her mother had experienced before she had passed away.

So far, she had reflected over her life and how simple it had been. Sure, she had a family that adored her and treated her no different from their real child. They were a family of class and most respected noble family in the countryside and had money to spare. She had loyal friends that my many people could only dream of having. She had all the necessary accommodations to live her life with out a worry. She was a lucky orphan that lived a life that many people envied, but she was not happy.

Her life had been a dull one. There was nothing she could call the highlight of her life, always acting well mannered and obedient. There was hardly ever a chance she could come out of her shell and be her natured self, daring and fun, and she had grown tired of it. There was something missing in her peaceful life… excitement.

She wanted something thrilling, something that she had never done before, she wanted something other than what the countryside had to offer… and she had only dreamed of it up until recently, and now she was determined to make that dream come true, before… well, before she missed her chance… after all she had nothing to lose…

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"So you've made up your mind about this, I presume , Sakura dear?" her adopted mother always worried for her this way, and for that she was grateful, but she could no longer impose on this loving family. She would miss them sincerely. They had been so good to her all her life and her step sister, Ino, had been her best friend all this time. She would miss her the most.

"But, why Sakura? You know I love you dearly. I can not imagine my life with out my best friend by my side!" Ino said.

"Oh stop! You make it sound like I will never see you again." Sakura said tediously, frankly trying to make the tension lighter. She fought back the tears that threatened to escape her eyes. She would miss her, she truly would miss her. "I have to leave soon, Ino. I will miss the train." Sakura smiled for her friend.

"This is ridiculous Sakura! What will you find in the city? A country novel like you would never be able to fit-in with the extravagant society of the city!" Ino was not making Sakura's departing any easier. She knew Ino was right though, she wouldn't fit in, at least not right away, but she was sure she could adapt quickly. "Father, do something! Tell her she can't!" Ino looked desperate to stop her sister.

"I see no reason to do so. I do admit that her decision was rather sudden and it surprised both, your mother and I, but Sakura has grown to be an excellent woman, just as you have, and she is of age to make her own desertions." Inoichi closed his eyes lightly.

He let out a defeated sight. He would miss Sakura, and it broke his heart to see his blue-eyed angel looked so devastated too. The girls had been friends years before Sakura's family tragedies, and even after they had adopt her to the family. He knew how much this announcement was hurting Ino.

Ino tear up, "well, if that's the case, then I will join you!" she said.

"What?" Sakura was taken back by Ino's sudden and reckless announcement. This was a new side of Ino Sakura hadn't seen. The usual well composed Ino was being rather obnoxious suddenly.

"I will. You are my best friend, my sister! You cannot abandon me so easily."

"…" Sakura was at loss of words "I am not abandoning you, Ino; you know very well that I love you sincerely. You are my sister."

"Then, if you are not abandoning me, what is it you are doing?"

"Where is it you'll be staying, Sakura dear?" their mother interrupted their brief tension once she felt the stiffness of the room.

"With my old mentor, mother" Sakura said after a short pause.

"With _that_ woman?"

Sakura took a deep breath. She knew how much Inoichi despised her old mentor, Tsunaide. Her reputation was well renounces in their town. To be one of the very few women who delved in the pleasures of alcohol and gambling and be rumored to have lovers scattered in all ages and statues. Sakura knew her father would worry for her. But she had no one whom she could stay with in the city, being that it was her first time traveling there.

"Yes, father, with that women" Sakura calmly spoke.

"Well, I guess there is no helping it. Ino you should begin your packing soon, if you want to meet with you sister in one day. I'll arrange everything"

Ino's eyes sparkled with excitement "really father? You mean it?"

"You girls are twenty, am I wrong?"

"Twenty and one, father." They both corrected.

Inoichi gave a tentative smile. His little girls were all grown up now and he truly wished he had spent more time with them than what he had seldom done. They had turned out to be fine women of their society and were old enough to do as they pleased.

Sakura was unsure what to make of what had become of the situation, she really loved Ino but wasn't sure if she could afford her friend tagging along, her plans could be ruined. She had a list, after all…

.:-:.

"Another summer another bore" Sasuke Uchiha yawn deliberately as he slouched on the velvet armed chair "why are summers not as amusing as they use to be?"

"Why have things suddenly become so un-appealing to you?" Spoke and elegantly dressed woman that sat across from him. She was old in age but young in appearance and unavoidably appealing to the eye. She had an atmosphere about her that overflowed with ripeness and experience that any man who didn't truly know her would have been captivated in seconds.

"Nothing catches my interest any more. Every summer is always the same thing. Ball room parties, walks in the park, pleasurable nights… nothing changes, always the same people, not to mention the card parties. I've grown tired of always wining…"

"Silly nonsense! At your age of twenty, how can you find everything to be a bore? …Foolish puppy."

"Lady Tsunade, a woman as-" Sasuke had to catch himself before he said something he shouldn't "well… as experienced as you, is to tell me that as many summers as she has spent alive, has yet to start fending them boring?" he jadedly asked "the routine begins to sicken me"

Lady Tsunade chuckled with poise.

"You mock me?"

"How could I not?" she answered "such a silly man you've turned out to be…almost makes me wish Orochimaru was still alive so I could scold him severely for the way he has raised you."

"My mentor?"

"and step-father…" Tsunade added.

Sasuke formed a small frown. He only remembered hating that guy. Always wondered how this woman ever got interested in such a man, being that she was already married to his best friend's mentor, Jiraya.

"Who did you love most?" Sasuke found himself asking more out of curiosity then care. Love was a silly subject to him; he had never grown interested in such trivial matters, as he liked to call them. Oh how many women had come and gone because of such silly thing. They just couldn't understand his view in the subject.

"I loved them both" Tsunade said with a smile and mild glisten in her eyes that seemed to surface old memories to her vision.

The old clock suddenly struck hour and brought her out of her trance catching Sasuke's attention as well. He hardly believed that is was such hour.

"Oh my!" lady Tsunade exclaimed touching her cheek lightly "how could I almost forget?"

"What's the matter lady Tsunade?" Sasuke showed his mannered concern.

"Did I forget to tell you as well? Dear me, it completely slipped my mind! Oh god, I am truly old!"

"Well, what is it?"

"A guest, an old student of mine, she is due to arrive any hour now and I've yet to make the preparations."

O0o0o0O

"Oh! My lady! The city is beautiful!"

Tenten, Sakura's personal maid peered eagerly through the carriage window. She had been reluctant at first, concerned for her lady's rather sudden decision to move to the city, but she fallowed her mistress where ever. She was loyal to the bone and cared dearly for her well being.

"I said it wouldn't be so bad, Tenten,"

"Oh my lady, look, look!" Tenten suddenly pointed excitedly in a direction. Sakura joined her near the window.

"It's the most beautiful building I've ever seen, lady Sakura!"

"I believe so, I hear it's the tallest and largest greenhouse in all the country" Sakura smiled, pleased that her maid was enjoying her self. She would have felt guilty if moving to the city made it inconvenient to her most trusted maid. "I am sure sister Ino would love to visit that place. Would you like that too?"

"You really mean it my lady?! Oh that would be wonderful!"

"I owe you several holidays Tenten, you work too hard form me."

Tenten just gave her mistress her warmest smile.

Sakura sat back against the bench and let out a fatigued sight. It had been a long day. The trip by train had taken almost all afternoon and they had been riding on the carriage for several hours now. Sakura massaged at her neck. She brought her attention to a paper she had placed on her lap. It was the list.

She had been jotting several things since the arrival to the city, adding several more things to what she had. Now she was about to add the visit to the greenhouse. She looked over the list. It was getting long. She would need a small notebook soon. There were too many things she had to do and she began to wonder if she would be able to do all she planed before her time in this world ended.

She wanted to do everything. She wanted to enjoy her life to the fullest so she could die with no regrets. She wanted to visit galleries of all sorts. She wanted to walk in public parks. She wanted to attend balls and operas. She wanted to meet interesting people too. She even wanted to flirt to her hearts content and be seen wearing the latest in lady fashion. She wanted to be someone who was not her… well, her usual self that is. She would go all out.

Everything she wanted to do and be was written in that list and there were still many things to add. The one thing that she would never write down on that list, though, was _to fall in love._She wouldn't do it. To deliberately fall in love would be a burden. To know that she would die leaving some broken hearted, because she would never say it. She would never tell anyone her awaited fait. This was something she would keep to her self till the day she was to breath her last breath.

Sakura let out another heavy sight unexpectedly getting the attention of her maid.

"Are you feeling well lady Sakura?" Tenten asked.

"I will be fine with some rest once we arrive at my mentor's house."

Sasuke leaned comfortably against the velvet armed chair. He drank from a rich glass of brandy Tsunaide had handed him. For the past hour Tsunaide talked about her old pupil and from the signs of it she was bland girl, boring in nature. Nothing exciting.

"I still can't believe I accepted her request to stay with me for the time. I love that gal but she is too innocent and apprehensive. It's hard to imagine such a country girl socializing with the kind of notorious people with which we do…The poor thing would faint.

"What in bloody hell would that girl come do here?"

"I truly don't know… Sasuke, dear, I have a favor to ask."

"Please don't ask me to be her escort, I will not do it. This girl sounds a bore. I adore you but I will not invite anything more boring to my life"

"My dear boy it's nothing of the sort, but I wouldn't mind you tagging along when I need you. I don't want you to curt the girl. I wouldn't wish her for you at any moment"

"Well, when you put it that way, I don't see the harm."

"I'm glad you think so."

The sounds of a carriage fallowed by the cries of horses alerted them of the girl's arrival. More than a few minutes later a young butler with handsome features walked in to announce the arrival of the girl.

"my dear Sakura it has been a long time" Tsunaide greeted, her voice so cheerful it hide the horrid regret she had been complaining about just earlier.

"It has been its time" Sakura smiled.

"You must been exhausted from your journey" Tsunaide faked her concern. "Kakashi, will you be as kind as to show Sakura's maid to their chambers?"

"Certainly, madam…"

"Sakura, I wont keep you long from your rest, but do sit down for a moment, wont you? Here, let me take your coat and gloves and hat"

Sasuke watched out of the corner of his eye as Sakura allowed Tsunaide to take her things. The girl looked overwhelmed, if not frightened, by her formidable mentor.

Sasuke stifled a groan as the girl took the sit her mentor had offered. She looked every inch the girl Tsunaide had described. She was tiny in stature and had long pastel pink hair. Under the unattractive pink coat she wore a simple red dress that hung loosely at her waist and made her skin look a sickly pale.

Her face was unremarkable. She had big eyes of yet undetermined color, thin lips and a charming button nose. Save for her rather large forehead she had good bone structure. Sasuke had a good eye for beautiful women and could determine the potential of any woman's face with just a simple gleans. Much could be done with this girls face but she had done nothing to highlight her good features.

Poor Tsunaide, what would she do with such a bland girl?

Sakura offered her old mentor a wide smile "Thank you ma'am" she said in a voice that was both confident and intriguingly innocent.

It was then he notices the confident and soft tone of her voice. The girl finally turned his way and caught his eye. She has rich green eyes, he noticed as she held his gaze with his. She turned to her mentor and raised her eyebrows in question.

"Oh, how awfully rude of me" Tsunaide exclaimed "Sasuke darling, allow me to present to you my old pupil, Sakura Haruno, Yamanaka by adoption. Sakura this here is Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke suppressed the urge to laugh at Tsunaide's sudden lapse to good manners. Suddenly, he was intrigued by the situation and wondered how far he could push the girl's innocence.

Steadily, he raised his glass of brandy peering through it to examine her slowly from head to toe. Disappointment was an understatement. If there were any curves they were very well hidden under her large dress. When the glass reached her face again, Sakura was staring back at him wide eyed.

Out of sheer mischievousness, Sasuke decided to continue taunting her. Putting the glass down, he stood up to walk across the room and stand before her.

"Your servant, Miss Haruno," he said as he reached for her hand and kiss it. He allowed his tong to brush briefly across her bare knuckles before lifting his head. He expected to see her outraged but to his surprise Sasuke discovered that despite a rather stiff uneasiness, amusement glimmered in her eyes—they were green after all—and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Perhaps she wasn't as much of a naive girl as Tsunaide believed her to be.

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Lulu: yey I reposted this story hopefully it will have more success then its debut :) I made it longer too


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